The Crown’s recently dropped season three wrapped up in 1977, with Margaret headed for a scandalous royal divorce and Charles saying goodbye to Camilla… for now. Season four of the Netflix drama promises to continue the fascinating machinations of the British monarchy, with Emma Corrin’s introduction as Princess Diana and Gillian Anderson stepping in as Margaret Thatcher. While that season is in production, season five is still a bit far off… but it looks like that collection of episodes will be The Crown’s last.
The Hollywood Reporter announces that creator and showrunner Peter Morgan has decided that “Netflix’s hit drama series about the British royal family will end with season five.” Although Morgan originally envisioned six seasons, he stated, “Now that we have begun work on the stories for season five it has become clear to me that this is the perfect time and place to stop… I’m grateful to Netflix and Sony for supporting me in this decision.”
The Crown will continue its practice of switching in different actors to better align with the royals’ actual timeline. Imelda Staunton will portray Queen Elizabeth in the show’s final season, replacing the magnificently regal Olivia Colman to take “The Crown into the 21st Century” says Morgan, giving a hint as to where that final season will end up. TV Line predicts that season four of The Crown will arrive later this year, with season five then slated for 2021.